


A Gig with a Skeleton

by LostSoulWolf



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Jam Buds, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 12:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10556016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostSoulWolf/pseuds/LostSoulWolf
Summary: A dared audition turns into a more serious endeavor. Will Mikaela continue to jam with the musically inclined Sans the Skeleton or will she bail?Might turn into a short story type of thing though unsure. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!





	

“I-I don’t think I should do this, Steph. Really, I can’t.”

“Don’t be such a scaredy cat, Mikaela!” The young rabbit teased, jabbing the side of a very flustered wolf as they stood before the home of the famous (sometimes infamous) skeleton brothers of Snowdin.

Scowling at the obvious jab, the black furred monster found herself glancing at the doorbell anxiously. “Seriously, he’s looking for real talent. Not for someone who has no experience and can only sing when no one’s looking. Steph, I literally can’t do this!”

But it was too late.

A quick rap and the sound of heavy feet echoed in her pointed ears; she watched as her friend ran off with a shout of luck. Before she could even think to chase after her, the door opened to reveal a tall monster with a wide grin. “Oh! You must be here to audition! Sans will be so happy to see someone! You’re the first to show up!” he cheered, taking her shoulder and guiding her inside.

It took his firm grip to keep from tripping on the doorstep but Mikaela recovered as gracefully as she could, even wiping her pads off on the doormat just inside since their porch one was coated in snow. A quick glance around let her see the rather simple abode they called a home, not at all what the others guessed of the mysterious skeletons. They didn’t really have a history with the town but just sort of showed up one day, according to Steph’s mother who ran the inn just down the way. She recalled the story but never had the guts to talk to one of them about it. No one did.

Clearing her throat, finally finding her voice, the wolf scratched the back of her head. “S-Sorry to drop by. My friend thought it would be a good idea b-but I really think I should go. I mean--”

“You aren’t even going to give it a shot?”

The low baritone caught her off guard, yelping softly to find the shorter skeleton coming down the stairs with his hands casually shoved in his pockets. Permagrin as wide as ever, he approached and offered a handshake in greeting; oddly enough, no prank in sight.

Yes, this Sans was known for his jokes and practical pranks on most everyone. She, herself, had been lucky enough to avoid this but how was a mystery.

“Come on, throw me a bone here. Don’t leave me hanging.” he teased, brow bones wriggling in jest.

While the pun was insufferable, Mikaela took the extended palm with her own and gave it a firm squeeze. “I don’t think it’ll be anything but humerus to you but I’ll try, I guess…” she offered, earning a pleased snort from the male. His brother was less than enthused at the word play.

“Ugh! Honestly!” he shouted, storming off into the kitchen to let his brother have the pleasure of keeping the wolf company.

“Uh, did I do something?”

Waving off her concern, Sans shrugged. “Nah, he just doesn’t find jokes very punny, you know?”

Rolling her eyes, the canine followed his gesture and they headed back outside. With a turn to the left and the flick of a lock, they entered the spare shed beside the house where an acoustic guitar case, microphone, and stand were awaiting them.

“What do you play?”

His sudden question caught her wandering attention back onto him, glad that her dark fur shrouded any blush that heated her muzzle. “O-Oh, I don’t.” she amended, thinking that maybe saying what she did would have been a good start to this. “I sing, actually…”

It was then that she noticed how delicately he picked up the guitar, easily flicking the strap over his head to let it hang comfortably against his front and tuned it to his liking. “Singing, huh? Any favorites?”

She blinked. “Uh, well… I don’t really have a preference. I don’t really even sing around others but my friend has caught me once or twice and dragged me here.”

He stopped, pinpricks of light slanting over and making her feel small. “So, you didn’t come because you wanted to?”

“W-well, I wouldn’t say it like that--”

“I would.”

Mikaela hunched her shoulders, biting her lip. Shifting her stance proved to be more awkward than she imagined and nearly had her falling over, instead opting to scratch her forearm. “I do want to be here. It’s just…” A sigh. “I get nervous singing for others because I’m afraid of what they’ll think of me. I mean, my parents are part of the Royal Guard and I do what? Sing because it makes me feel good? Heh, what a joke.”

Sans studied her for a good two minutes, the silence deafening. Then, he too sighed. “I’m in the same boat, you know? My bro wants to do that and my lazy bones? Heh, I just wanna sit around and crack puns day and night.”

When he earned a look, he continued. “Everyone’s good at somethin’ and it doesn’t matter what others think of ya. Heck, it doesn’t matter what your parents do or anything. Just, do you. Get me?”

Blue eyes lowered from his form in thought, head turned as claws tapped against the hardwood floor of the shed. Then, with a flash of what he could only describe as determination in her eyes, she smiled. 

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”

“Heh, that’s the spirit. Now that we’ve mutt-stered the courage, let’s get this show on the snow.”

A groan. “Are bad puns part of the gig?”

“Nah, just an added bonus~” he teased, strumming out a harmonious G chord. “Now, let’s hear those scales.”

\------

Mikaela couldn’t believe this! Barely a day went by before she received a call from Sans to tell her that the spot was hers. While it was sad to hear that no one else even bothered to show up, she was thrilled yet terrified. Their first show together?

Grillby’s.

She knew most every monster in Snowdin since moving here on her own and just thinking about singing in front of them tied her stomach in knots. A glance to her partner only showed her his calm smile as they walked, carrying their equipment to the bar.

“Nervous?”

A blink. “Maybe a little… Why?”

“Because you haven’t stopped shaking since we left the house.” Sans mentioned, eyeing her hand for only a moment without changing stride. He used to perform to entertain his brother many times so he had plenty of trial-runs with an audience but just based on their practice, he knew it’d be off to a rocky start.

Mikaela tried hard to stave her nerves, swallowing to ease her words into existence. “This is my first time singing in public, you know… Actually, you’re the first person I ever willingly sang for. Not even my parents have heard me.” She nearly tripped at this admittance, running her paw through her fur to calm herself and play it off. “A-anyway, I just hope it won’t be too busy on a Thursday. It’s usually not, from what I remember, so maybe it won’t be so bad.”

Upon opening the door, she was proven wrong.

Nearly every booth was taken up by monsters of all kinds, ranging from the local dogs who acted as sentry for humans to the fang-lined flytrap who lived just north of the main street. Why in the world was it so packed?!

Ignoring how that thought alone was a pun, the wolf jolted when a hand touched hers and pulled it back to see Sans standing beside her. “Hey, lighten up, bucko. It’ll be fine. Grillbz just thought some music would drum up some business.” He bent his knees to avoid a whack to his head.

“Let’s just… get this over with.”

It took only ten minutes for the two of them to set up the mic stand, speaker, and stool for the show. They were a small gig and while Grillby didn’t seem to be actually paying them, he did offer to cover any kind of drinks they might need while performing.

Once the elemental left them to last moment prep before they began, allowing them access to his back room to warm up vocally, Mikaela sighed. “So, remind me again why we are doing this?” She cleared her throat, thinking that rephrasing might be in order. “Usually, when people are asked to perform, they’re paid but we’re not. What’s going on?”

“It’s simpler payment for something else.”

“Like his tab.”

Sans was the one to jump when Grillby came back, adjusting his glasses to appraise the two.

“He hasn’t paid in a long time so this was a better alternative.” Getting a nod from the wolf, he approached with a smile as he bent low towards her ear to keep the skeleton from overhearing. “After all, more business covers his tab.”

Then, she understood. It was make-up performances that kept their dynamic from sinking or turning nasty. Huh, the majesty of business at its finest.

Standing to his full height, his flames brushed back neatly and bowtie adjusted, the bartender merely patted Sans on the head before leaving them be again. Seemed like he had his fun.

A laugh came from Mikaela from the whole ordeal, for once finding comedy in the face of anxiety.

“What’s got you in stitches?”

“Just the idea of you drinking yourself into debt and the only way to pay it back is by performing for the guy.”

There was a pause before the male laughed as well, seeing the light as she did. “Heh, guess you’re right.” he agreed. Now that he thought about it, that was a strange little set up they had between them. But, he was glad that his new partner had finally loosened up enough to laugh. “Alright, it’s showtime. You ready to huff, puff, and blow them away~?”

Giving him a light shove, the canine rolled her eyes. “Only if you’re ready to knock ‘em dead, bonehead.” When she saw him color at the jab, she snickered and walked ahead of him. “Come on, numbskull. Try to keep up.”

On the inside, she was screaming for a way out.

\------

Exiting the back room, her partner not far behind, the black-furred monster licked her lips in anxiety. The patrons were just talking among themselves and yet, she felt like all eyes were on her. Heart racing in her chest, she nearly turned to run but a hand to her shoulder kept her planted in place.

Blue eyes honed in on lit sockets and Sans’ permagrin kept her grounded. He gave a firm nod and took his seat on the stool, guitar now strapped to his shoulder. Fiddling with the tuning pegs, he found the right sound with a simple strum of the strings.

With a leg hitched up on the top rung of his stall, the skeleton let the waist of his instrument curve along his femur and plucked at the chords rhythmically. He really was adept at his craft, which was odd given how lazy she had heard him to be. But, maybe music was the perfect outlet for him.

They often say that if you’re good at something, it takes no effort other than practice to accomplish what you love; hence the saying “you never work a day in your life if you do what you enjoy.”

The young woman had always wanted that kind of life, to savor her job like her parents did, but never could seem to find her calling.

Maybe this was a step in the right direction.

She was snapped from her thoughts when Grillby came up next to her with a few song requests, the handwriting varying from option to option. “I had asked some of my regulars what they would want to hear. Most, if not all, are not in the jukebox so I hope you know some of them.” he explained.

While some were an enigma to her, there was one in particular that did suit her fancy though was a bit embarrassing to sing. “I’ll try my best. Thanks for the heads up.”

Once alone, Mikaela swallowed and showed Sans the list. “Know any of them?”

Eye sockets judged the paper before they paused at an item about midway down the list, pointing to it. “Just that one. Paps liked how sweet it sounded and had me play it for him since he was just a babybones.” 

Of course, it was the one she liked as well. Figures…

“Well, I guess we have to do that one.”

“Why, you know it?”

She shrugged with a bite of her lip. “What can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic with an attitude that doesn’t match.” When he laughed, she pouted as her tail bristled. “Hey! Just… Just start it up.”

He obliged and before long, the entire bar went quiet as his nimble fingers strummed the chords effortlessly; his sockets closed and smile turning more gentle. Then, his teeth parted as he sang his first verse.

Mikaela watched as everyone was entranced by his performance, the low baritone warm and enticing to whomever it may be directed to. Though, she did almost miss her mark when he opened his eyes to cue their switch.

Swallowing her nerves, her higher pitch took over for a more intimate echo as the song took on a longing vibe rather than a solemn one. Her voice dipped low every so often to keep it unique but she didn’t stray too far from the source itself; staying in tune with his guitar riffs was rather easy to do so long as she focused on Sans instead of the crowd.

Any time her eyes drifted to the patrons, her heart would race and her hand would grip the mic tightly as she’d close her eyes in fear. Only until they’d get to a part of the chorus to harmonize would she reopen them again to gaze at her partner for stability. He’d offer a reassuring smile and she’d give a shaky one in return.

By the final chorus that lead into the ending chord, they had gotten to be so in-sync with one another that both had nearly forgotten they were in a busy restaurant. It was then that their finale came and the last note left their mouths did the cheers of the monsters jarr their gazes to look out over the sea of people.

Mikaela blinked owlishly, unsure of just how they got through that without so much as a single screw up but a playful hit to her shoulder got her to smile with a few murmurs of thanks. With her tail wagging, she looked to her partner.

Sans gave a mock bow to her with a smile, his teeth connected once more. “I’d say this place has gone to the dogs~” he teased, unrepentant grin as casual as always.

The joke didn’t go without a swat to his skull but it was more playful than anything else. “You suck, you know that? And I’m a wolf, thank you very much.”

“Oh, higher pedigree. My mistake.”

She worked her jaw but was foiled from making a comeback when Grillby approached, congratulating them on a wonderful performance. Though, his next words both elated and terrified her.

“So, what’s the next song?”


End file.
